Mercantile Law
by Becbet
Summary: In the quest for a single unifying road, Rin will journey to the Farplane itself to achieve this goal. Luckily for him, he has the help of a very dead, very grumpy, Guardian.
1. Drunken Ramblings

[Author's Notes:: First, I'd like to say that the Final Fantasy series and all of its characters do not belong to me.  I merely own copies of the games.  And a wonderful plastic model of Auron affectionately dubbed "Auron-Doll."  He sits upon my TV.

However, the idea for this story is mine, which, put simply, means "no takey."  It's not often I come up with the storyline for a fic that I actually like, and would really appreciate it if that was respected.  Yes.  So respect it… Now, dammit, respect it now!

*ahem*

Also, I have to warn that there will be spoilers.  Tons of them.  In fact, this chapter is so leaden with them that any gamer who has yet to beat X-2 will seek me out and brutally murder me.  So…please don't read if you don't want to know the ending…any of them.

And on that note, I haven't gotten the perfect ending, and so I can't really say I'm an expert on the game or anything.  So if any relatively important details contradict anything, just ignore them and call the fic AU, if that'll ease your mind.  As far as I'm concerned, though, this fic is a continuation, and takes place a few weeks after the game ends.

Anyway, sorry for the somewhat long Author's note.  ^_^  Enjoy the fic.]

**I – Drunken Ramblings: the True Source of Knowledge**

The idea first occurred to Rin as he listened to Gippal's drunken ramblings.  The two Al Bhed, joined by Cid and Nhadala, had met in Gippal's chambers in Djose to discuss recent events and the state of their people.  Good intentions quickly turned into another excuse to get drunk, however; thus, the saké had flowed.  Liberally. 

The conversation had easily drifted from the furthering of the Machine Faction's research to speculations on the sex of machina.  (It was obvious to Cid that the larger, four-legged models were male, while the two-legged ones were female.)  Rin had neglected to join in these dialogues, choosing instead to sit back and listen; feeling, as he remained mostly somber, like he was spying on his friends.

Soon, however, Gippal suggested playing Sphere Break, and some of Rin's unease dissipated.  He had slipped his sphere from a pocket, running his thumb over its smooth exterior and simultaneously warning Gippal of his expertise.  Cid and Nhadala had decided they were too old to learn any new ways to loose gil and had stumbled into a corner to down a few more jugs of saké.

Within a few minutes, Gippal had learned the basics of Sphere Break and was eagerly trying to best the older man at his own game.  He was only halfway through his quota with three turns remaining when he brought up the subject of Vegnagun; complaining that defeating that monster had been easier than breaking Rin's sphere.  

The merchant had looked up, suddenly interested in the conversation.  The few splatterings of information he had regarding that particular machina were sketchy and, most likely, not altogether true.  He had subtly nudged Gippal into telling more, discovering that, in fact, it had been the High Summoner herself, and her faithful sphere hunting duo, that had actually downed the beast.  Gippal puffed up and explained that he and Nooj had held their own against the machina; that the victory was not solely Lady Yuna's.  Rin had nodded agreeably, motioning with his free hand for Gippal to continue.  With the other, he brought his glass to his lips, letting the saké rest coolly against them before gently setting it back on the table.  In a smooth, inconspicuous movement, he ran his tongue over the moisture on his lips, delighting in the subtle flavor.

Gippal lost his first game of Sphere Break, instantly demanding a second.  Once he had settled into it again, he let his mind stray back to their interrupted conversation.  He told Rin of the aftermath: How the girls had gone on to fight the mastermind, Shuyin, while he and Nooj carried Baralai out of harm's way.  He outlined the walk back; the beauty of the inner Farplane, and its stretching roads leading, presumably, into nothingness.  When drunk, Rin noticed, Gippal had a tendency to overuse his poetic license, something the merchant had never thought the man had ever possessed in the first place.

Gippal had paused in his monologue to concentrate more fully on the game, giving Rin a chance to process this new information.  Always on the lookout for interesting tidbits, Rin questioned his friend again, this time inquiring directly about the haphazard roads leading down to the Farplane.  

"Oh sure," Gippal had said, "They didn't _really_ lead into some bottomless pit.  They led up into the temples, you know?"

"Temples?" Rin repeated the trick of not-actually-drinking the saké.

Gippal nodded enthusiastically, his spiked bangs flopping comically.  "Yeah.  That's where all the fiends came from."

Rin accepted this with an uninterested air.  "Every temple?"

His question had caught Gippal in the middle of gulping down half a glass of saké, and it took the man some time to answer.  "S'far as I know.  We went down in Bevelle."  He shook his head. "It's kinda scary when ya think about it.  But once Baralai jumped, all we could do was follow."

The inklings of a plan already forming in his mind, Rin continued, leading his friend away from this singular topic.  "Speaking of Baralai, how is he doing?"

"Oh, yeah, he's great," Gippal paused, leaned in conspiratorially, and winked.  "He's more than great, if you catch my drift."

Rin smiled kindly, quietly informing Gippal that his final turn had just ended.

At that moment, Cid and Nhadala stumbled back over, supporting each other with unsteady arms.  Cid's body suit had, purposefully or not, come unzipped almost down to his groin and Rin was offered a sight he could have lived the rest of his days without seeing.

The merchant stood, politely excusing himself, tactfully forgetting to collect his winnings from Gippal, and left the room, heading directly to his waiting hover.

It took Rin the remainder of the week to completely flesh out his plan of action: He would connect all of Spira through a single route.  It was true that the main roads reached from one end to the other, but if he was correct in his inferences, this would be a far shorter path; one that would negate the use of hovers, shoopufs, and the majority of chocobos.  It would also allow him to establish yet another Travel Agency.

From what he had gathered from Gippal, Rin had concluded that the Farplane was just the route he was looking for.  The temples provided already established entrances.  If use of his road became widespread, bazaars and inns could be set up within them; bringing life back to the too-empty stone buildings.

The fiends occupying the paths could be dealt with easily.  Travelers were already accustomed to their blight.  Those unprepared for battle could hire out guides.  There were plenty Youth League and New Yevon members just itching for a chance to fight; Rin could pay them to do so.

He didn't imagine he'd have much opposition.  New Yevon might not approve.  In fact, Rin was counting on them to protest.  He _was_ defacing their temples, as well as the most revered place in all of Spira.  Even if it was only the outskirts he was defacing, he was still treading amongst the dead; and, to top it all off, bringing _tourists_ there.  Yes, Rin foresaw trouble, but he looked to it as a fresh challenge:  something to be undertaken as a sort of game.  This was how he had reached previous goals; it was a system proven time and time again to be effective. And Rin loved things that worked.

By nature, Rin was a man of considerable patience, but he was also determined.  If it took him years to complete this task, he would toil until it was utterly complete and could run smoothly without his constant supervision.

With this blueprint in mind, Rin was ready to truly begin.


	2. No Encounters, Indeed

[Author's Note:  Sorry…I hate to pester you with one of these again, but I've got to comment on a few things.  First, Jerryk isn't an original character; he's the Al Bhed that speaks to you through the CommSphere at Djose on various occasions.  I just gave him a name and a minor role. ^_^  Also, while I'm on this note, I wanted to say that I'm going to try to create as few original characters as possible.  It really becomes a hassle trying to look after all of them so I'd just prefer to use already established characters like, well, blitzball players.  They're plentiful, and very few are given personalities.  Anyway, be on the look out for some you know.  If you're easily amused, you could think of it as a game.  ^_^ ]

**II – No Encounters, Indeed**

Convincing Baralai hadn't nearly been as hard as Rin had thought.  The man proved to be ready to welcome change, especially if it meant the uniting of Spira.  After a few brief meetings, he had been given the go-ahead and left almost immediately. 

Rin had started out for the nearest temple, which, after visiting Mi'ihen to pick up a few supplies, was in Djose. By the time he had arrived, Gippal and most of the Machine Faction had left for Bikanel.  Jerryk, the Al Bhed left in charge, was kind enough of offer Rin an escort.  He declined, preferring to do his scouting alone.  Jerryk nodded understandably, quickly taking his leave of the older man.

The Chamber of the Fayth was not as Rin had expected.  Somehow, over his thirty-odd years, he had become disillusioned into thinking the room would be more lavishly decorated.  Maybe with silk or tapestries…or something.  Instead, he was greeted with cylindrical stone walls, glowing faintly with questionable light.  Most peculiar of all, was the gaping maw in the center of the room.  Staring down in that depth, his pack of supplies slowly sliding off his shoulder, Rin felt a wave of unease wash over him.  He had the sudden impulse to drop everything, to turn back; to run outside and breathe in the daylight.  

_Don't be silly_, he reprimanded himself.  After all, Gippal had made it back and forth unscathed.  Rin wasn't nearly as good a warrior as he, but he had something the man hadn't: a no encounters accessory.  Smiling grimly to himself, Rin slipped the tight bracelet onto his wrist, dismissing the fact that it had been made for a woman.

Rin sighed, stepped closer to the hole, and fell—

--to his knees, keeping his balance by extending his free hand.  Soft, strangely warm sand slid against his fingers as he got back to his feet.  Looking about him, Rin was faced with a bizarre landscape:  twisting walkways and precarious ledges, twined in some unintelligible pattern.  In the distance, Rin could barely make out what looked like small fires, flickering faintly in the encompassing darkness.

He exhaled, pulled the strap of his pack back up on his shoulder, and began walking.

For hours, it seemed, Rin trekked the serpentine trails, marking each route with a colored flag: blue for Djose, orange for Kilika, and so forth.  For those he was uncertain of, he planted a grey flag, intending to explore each more thoroughly on his way back.

Rin had no real way of knowing how much time had passed.  He had, however, satisfied his curiosity.  He hadn't expected things to go as smoothly as they had, and he was quite pleased with himself.  Since the last Sphere Break tournament, no, since the final defeat of Sin, Rin hadn't felt like he had been doing much of anything.  He felt as if he was only wasting time.  But now…  Now, he had a goal, a mission if you will, and a dangerous one at that.  Who, besides Jerryk, really knew he was down here?  He had neglected to tell Baralai the date of his departure.  What if something happened to him?  What if he fell?

Rin crinkled his nose at this sudden hint of paranoia.  If he fell, he fell.  There really wasn't that much he, or anyone else for that matter, could do about it.  There was no use worrying about things you had no control over, he had learned that a long, long time ago.  _Why then_, he asked himself, _are you so scared?_

Rin stopped dead in his tracks, drawing in a sharp breath and flicking his eyes nervously over the trail in front of him.  He had seen…something.

Holstered loosely at his hip was a small gun, designed by Gippal and given to him on his last birthday.  Fingering the weapon uncertainly, he started forward, searching for the source of movement.  His bracelet, theoretically, should have kept all fiends away.  Except for the really big ones.  The really big, extra nasty ones that ate chocobos and little girls.  You knew something was evil when its diet consisted of chocobos and little girls…

"Stop it," Rin hissed, becoming irritated with his wandering imagination.

Yep.  Big, drooling, snarling fiends.  With claws longer than your arm and teeth fatter than your fist.  Fiends that can decapitate you merely by breathing hard.

Rin shook his head as if to fling the traitorous thoughts from his mind physically.

Just wait till you get around that bend.  It'll be waiting for you.  Saliva pooling at its feet, claws digging trenches in the dirt; its breath so rancid that—

"Sir Auron?"

The man turned, his eyes forever hidden behind his dark glasses. "Rin?"

The merchant stopped.  Something was…off…  "Sir Auron," he began unsteadily, the imaginary fiend ordeal still leaving him a bit shaken, "I didn't expect to see you down here."

"I could say the same of you," the man replied in his familiar, gruff manner.

Rin grinned, the sight of another living being eased his mind considerably.  "I hadn't expected to see anyone down here, really," he confessed, stepping a bit closer.  Auron remained stationary.  "But it is good to see you again.  Two years is too long to stay missing, Sir Auron.  From what I've heard, Lady Yuna could have really used your help."

Auron cocked an eyebrow quizzically, an expression Rin found somewhat comical, especially on a man of Auron's notoriety.  

"If you don't mind me asking, Sir Auron," Rin continued, "What are you doing down here?"

Auron let out a wry, disheartening chuckle.  "You haven't heard, I take it?"  

Rin felt his entire body go cold.  Auron's presence was suddenly very clear to him.  His mouth formed a soundless "o."  He couldn't think of what to say, or what to do even.  He became very conscious of his hands and had the urge to move them.  

Gripping the strap of his pack, Rin struggled to find his lost voice.  "I-I'm very sorry.  No one… I didn't know.  Lady Yuna never said anything… And then young Sir Tidus went missing… I just assumed…"  Rin was aware that he was babbling, but he couldn't stop himself.  In the back of his mind, like an incessant itch, was the fact that he was talking to a _dead _man.  It was a thoroughly mellowing experience.

Auron grunted.  "I guess Yuna didn't announce it then?"

Rin shook his head, feeling that if he opened his mouth again, he wouldn't be able to shut up.  The whole situation was kind of surreal.  He felt as if he were standing outside his body, watching the entire episode with barely concealed amusement.  He looked back at Auron, able to see now that he was, quite obviously, for that matter, transparent.  The ex-Guardian also seemed to be leaking pyreflies.  Rin shivered as one drifted by his ear, brushing against his skin and leaving behind a clammy, eerie feeling, as if thousands of tiny legs were crawling, not just on the section of touched skin, but all over his body.  He had to physically resist rubbing at his ear.

Trying to ignore the odd sensations, Rin opened his mouth to reestablish their conversation when an odd thought struck him.  "You didn't," it was a struggle to say the next word, "die fighting Sin, did you."

Auron shook his head, the large collar hiding any emotion, though Rin could sense quiet resignation in the man's voice.  "No. Long before that, Rin."

"When I found you…"

Auron's terse nod was affirmation enough.  Rin sighed for the both of them, again overcome with the same strange urge to just _do_ something with his hands.  He quickly gave in, linking them behind his back in his usual fashion, already pondering what to say next.  This was quite an odd situation he had landed himself in.

"Well," Rin said at last, "perhaps you can help me with something?"

"It depends…"

Rin nodded, dismissing the insubstantial answer.  "Good, good."  He strolled forward, his mind already converting to business mode, and soon their awkward, disconcerting conversation had no place and was easily usurped by one of a more direct nature.  "I'm building a road," Rin said, "down here." He turned to see Auron's reaction; there wasn't one, at least not one visible to him.

Deciding to take this as a good sign, Rin continued, "You're aware the Farplane is connected to the temples, yes?"  He stopped again, waiting for Auron to reply.

"You're going to turn the Farplane into a highway, aren't you?"

Rin smiled, delighted in the response.  He had always suspected Auron of having a head for business, even if the man didn't know it himself.  "Yes.  I plan to connect all of Spira through a single route."

"How did Yevon stomach that?"

"Quite easily, actually.  Their young praetor, Baralai, was eager to assist in such a project."

Auron "hmph-ed" and came to stand next to Rin, looking the younger man directly in the eye. His dark glasses, as immaterial as they were, still held Rin's reflection.  "And you want me as a guide?"

"More-or-less. Yes."

Auron held his gaze a few seconds more before looking away, presumably at something only his eyes could see.  Rin looked anyway, seeing only the shifting darkness.  The old warrior seemed to sag, as if his body had suddenly become too heavy for him.  Rin knew that if he could see the man's face, it would hold more emotion than Rin had ever given him credit for.  He wanted to ask him what was wrong, but was afraid of any answer other than the obvious, "I'm dead."  He...didn't handle emotional situations well.  With business deals and philosophical speculations he was fine, but when it came to comforting a crying girl…Rin backed off.

With Auron it was the same, worse even, because, by nature, Auron wasn't a very emotional man.  Besides, Rin genuinely liked him, and didn't want to do anything to arouse his displeasure.

After an eternity, it seemed, Auron turned, his features as expressionless as a stone wall.  "What do you want me to do?" he asked in a husky voice, a signal to Rin that the man was still trying to contain whatever had seized him a moment before.

"Walk with me," Rin said simply, "and tell me where it is I'm going."


	3. Dead Men and Pyreflies

[ Author's Notes :: First off, I'd like to thank enigmaopoeia for her (his?) wonderful Al Bhed language guide at GameFAQs.  In my effort to make this fic as realistic as possible, I wanted to include Al Bhed, and I have; I just simply wouldn't have been able to do it without that guide.  So much thanks.

For those who can't speak/write/translate Al Bhed (like myself) there are translations for the few words/phrases I use at the very bottom.  If Al Bhed is spoken in subsequent chapters, that's where to look for the translations.  I've also typed Al Bhed in italics so it's easier to distinguish.  Hopefully this won't cause much confusion… *crosses fingers*

Anyway, enjoy the chapter. ]

**III – Dead Men and Pyreflies**

Guadosalam was one of the few locations where Rin had neglected to build a Travel Agency.  Even after the Guado, the most fervent of Yevon's supporters, had abandoned their city, Rin had left it untouched. He had never visited the Guado's haven, though he had heard (Who hadn't?) of their doorway to the Farplane.  At the time, it was the only way to "visit" the dead, and Yevonites of all kinds had made personal pilgrimages to this sacred scrap of land.

Now, however, the Farplane had become unstable, and the visits had ceased.  Rin speculated that it was the departure of the Fayth, and the revival of Vegnagun that had made it so.  People said the Guado could remedy this, but Rin disagreed.  The Guado had no more power to restore order to the Land of the Dead than he did.  It would, he relented, be nice though.

Walking now, on the very outskirts of the land in question, with a dead man as his guide, no less, Rin felt the extreme oddity of the situation strike home.  He had heard that those who visited the Farplane, in Guadosalam at least, were greeted with spectral re-creations of their deceased loved ones.  Rin wondered why it was Auron he had met, instead of one of his family members.  Perhaps it was because he knew so little of them, himself. 

Rin had been told they had been killed by Sin when he was far too young to remember.  He tried to see their faces, but all he caught were glimpses; light traces of emotion attached to the name of each individual.  The feeling surrounding his mother was strongest, so he focused on her, unsure of what he was trying to accomplish other than to recall the face of a woman he could not remember knowing, but was tied, unquestionably to, all the same.

At first, Rin felt nothing more than a warm, light feeling of recognition; the kind that follows after someone mentions a name you're familiar with, but can't quite place.  The more he concentrated, the more pronounced the feeling became.  Rin walked in silence a few moments longer, and had just decided to drop the matter altogether when a single detail, surprising in its lucidness, interrupted his thoughts:

_His mother, her golden hair twirling about her face as a warm desert breeze passed, was turning; a smile on her lips as she started to move them.  Rin knew, though he couldn't hear her, that what she spoke was a goodbye._

Rin froze; every thought slamming to an abrupt halt in his head.  His mother stood not three feet in front of him, the same smile pasted on her lips.

"She's pretty," Auron commented dryly, also noticing the apparition.

Rin ignored the comment, staring directly at the woman in front of him.  She still smiled blankly at him; he could see no emotion behind her eyes.  She wasn't like Auron; she wasn't real, not in a tangible sense at least.  (Not that Auron was tangible…)

At first, Rin felt nothing; he was numb.  After the initial shock wore off, it was not relief, or joy at seeing her that he felt, but anger.  He was repulsed that anything, be it a force of good or evil, could wrench something from him so succinctly, and display it in front of him as if in mockery.  He inhaled deeply, willing the…_thing_ in front of him away.  

She left: the pyreflies that comprised her floating off or joining the others amassed around Auron. Thankfully, the man made no other comments, and tactfully let the matter drop; after all, it was nothing that concerned him.

The two walked in silence a few minutes more before Rin became uncomfortable enough to do anything, even if it meant making things worse, to break that silence.  "My mother," he sputtered out, hearing and simultaneously despising the tremor in his voice.  Auron remained mute, keeping pace with his companion.  "It's odd," Rin continued, as if he hadn't been expecting an answer from Auron at all.

The ex-Guardian chose this moment to speak.  "What is?"

Rin stopped in his tracks, turning narrowed eyes on his guide.  "You are.  Your presence," he added quickly, "I mean."

Auron stopped as well, his dark glasses appearing as empty sockets. "You're wondering why it was me instead of your mother that you found here."  He spoke as if it wasn't a question, but a statement, and if it hadn't previously been true, was so after he had spoken it.  

Rin nodded reluctantly.  Truthfully, he hadn't been expecting anyone.

"Well, I don't know," Auron said simply.

Rin had always considered himself more of a diplomat than a fighter, but he had the strongest urge just to strangle the man…

"Unless," Auron continued both speaking and walking.  Maybe he sensed hostility.  "You had strong feelings for me when I was alive."  

Rin issued a noise somewhere between a gurgle and a choke.  

Auron glanced back at the strangled noise, stifling a small chuckle before turning away again and resuming his even pace.  The Al Bhed was motionless for a moment, trying to gather his scattered thoughts.  What, exactly, had Auron meant by _that_?

Shaking his head in an effort to dismiss the whole incident, Rin jogged up to Auron, falling into step beside him and hoisting his pack higher on his shoulder (it had started to slide down again).  "So," he cleared his throat, waiting for Auron to turn and look at him, "Where are we going?"

"I think that's something you should be deciding," Auron said, completely deadpan.

Rin scowled at the man before retreating into his thoughts.  He had seen quite a few branches that led off to their corresponding temples, but he had yet to notice a central meeting place of every single route.  Rin decided that locating this would be the best course of action.  "The center," he said, "Take me wherever all the roads meet."

Auron seemed to consider this before motioning for Rin to follow him.  He led the shorter man to the very edge of the path.  Rin looked questionably to his guide, arching an eyebrow; expecting Auron to point to some hidden road that would instantly become apparent to the merchant. Rin watched his half-masked face.  He could have sworn a flash of amusement passed across Auron's features when the dead man uttered a single word: "Jump."

"W-What?!" Rin sputtered, eye flicking from Auron to the abyss and then back again.

"Jump," Auron repeated.  "You want to go to the center, then jump."

Rin looked at the man skeptically, sure that this was just some ploy to get rid of him.  "Sir Auron," he said in a mostly steady voice, "I feel it quite necessary to remind you that you are the one who's dead, and not the other way around."

Auron snorted.  "I'm aware of that, Rin."

"Oh…Well…Good…" Rin mumbled, gazing with trepidation over the edge of the path.  "This…won't be fatal, will it?"

"Do you want to reach the center, or not?" Auron asked, impatient. 

"Yes…"  Rin took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and jumped.

Rin had landed, rather ungainly, on his ass but had been so stunned when he looked about himself that he simply forgot about getting up.  So he sat on a patch of crushed purple and white flowers, gaping at the simple majesty that surrounded him.  Rin barely noticed when Auron reappeared beside him, reforming from the pyreflies floating aimlessly through the light mist.

Waterfalls cascaded on either side of him, creating a droning roar that melted into the background, into the very air itself. Adding to this drone was the unmistakable hum that accompanied large numbers of pyreflies.  Rin watched, dumbfounded, as the iridescent orbs flowed over and around each other.  "Beautiful" was suddenly a very inappropriate understatement.

"_Ysywehk_…" Rin whispered, wide green eyes flicking over the surreal landscape.

Auron laughed, the sound slightly-less-mocking than it had been previously.  "It is a bit overwhelming, isn't it?"

Rin nodded vaguely and finally managed to get up, brushing crushed petals from his ass.  He noticed, in a detached sort of way not unlike that of one's consciousness while immersed in a dream, that the broken petals never reached the ground; they simply faded away.  Likewise, the flowers he had landed on slowly reformed themselves, spreading upwards in an efflorescence of motion.

In a jerking movement, Rin stumbled away from the regenerating flowers, just barely avoiding walking through Auron.  He was sure that wouldn't be a pleasant experience.  "How far down are we?" Rin asked, turning to face his companion.

"I don't know," Auron said.  "There really isn't any way of telling.  Theoretically, we could be on a higher level than we were before."

"Oh," Rin mumbled, trying to make sense of the somewhat twisted logic.  He turned in a full circle, taking in the entirety of the dreamscape.  In this quick appraisal of his surroundings, Rin noticed something he had missed previously.  "Where are the roads?" he asked, frowning at the lack of any discernable path.

Auron gestured for Rin to follow him and strode off to his left, heading directly for the ledge of the floating island.

_What is it with him and precipices?_ Rin wondered grudgingly, definitely not looking forward to another plummet.

"There," Auron said once Rin appeared beside him.  He pointed to a small vortex of orange that seemed to brighten and grow when they approached it.  "That takes you back to the Macalania path."  He turned and gestured to a barely distinguishable orange speck on the other side of the island.  "That one leads to Besaid."  One by one, he pointed out the rest. 

Rin was unable to discern any difference between the portals except their locations, but he had learned (reluctantly) to trust what Auron told him and merely nodded at the end of the man's explanation.  "And that one goes back to Djose?" he asked, pointing to the portal he thought was correct.

"To the road; yes."

"Then I'll be heading back," Rin announced, gazing one last time at the flowers, the waterfalls, the pyreflies…

Auron shrugged, following the Al Bhed over to the portal.  "Good luck," he said simply, nodding to Rin's questioning glance.

"You're not coming with me?" the other asked, a little surprised.

Auron looked away, focusing on something invisible to the eyes of the living.  "No," he said distractedly, already starting to walk away, his eyes still glued to the indiscernible something.  "I think I'll stay here a while longer."

As Rin watched, Auron's pyreflies separated, disjoining one by one till the old warrior had disappeared completely.  "_Luck du oui, duu_," Rin whispered before stepping into the portal and leaving his guide behind him.

[Al Bhed Translations:  _Ysywehk_ – Amazing

                                       _Luck du oui, duu_ – Luck to you, too. ]


	4. Welcome to Bikanel

[Author's Notes :: I'm quite pleased with this chapter. It's short, and nothing incredibly important really happens, but I like how it turned out. There's more Al Bhed in this chapter so look to the bottom for the translation. ]

**IV – Welcome to Bikanel: be Careful You Don't Get Any Sand up Your Ass**

Rin had never liked Bikanel. It was too hot, too dry, and so devoid of possibilities that Rin's aversion to it was almost physically palpable. His presence there now had been grudgingly agreed to. Rin had to talk to Gippal and the man wouldn't leave his crew; it was as simple as that.

So here Rin sat, rarely-used goggles pulled down over his eyes as he rested under a make-shift tent, going over some sloppy figures Nhadala had asked him to double-check as he waited for Gippal. Nhadala's request had been an easy one; he just had to go over her math (most of which was correct except for the few last columns, which looked as if they had been hurriedly added a few minutes prior) and check to see if her employees' wages were fair. Rin wrote small corrections in his perfectly linear, unnaturally neat handwriting on the corners of the paper. He knew that Nhadala had just given him this as something to keep him busy and his mind off the scorching heat of the desert. Her ploy wasn't working.

Rin had gone over the papers three times when a worker finally approached him. The man said that Gippal had asked for Rin to take a hover out to where he was working; that he didn't want to leave his men unsupervised. Rin reluctantly agreed; handing the papers to one of Nhadala's workers before boarding the hover, dreading the ride through wind-tossed sand and blazing sun.

It took but a few minutes to locate Gippal, but by the time he arrived, most of Rin's patience had waned. Even as a child he had found his desert home mostly unbearable and had stayed inside as much as possible. It wasn't just the environment that he couldn't stand, but the absolute lack of things to do. He had always had a head for figures and had spent much of his time devising better ways to stock supplies or simply coming up with ways his collective Al Bhed family could make money.

Their potions were amazing and unlike anything the other inhabitants of Spira could create. (Al Bhed alchemists were paragons of medicine and battle-items.) The only problem came from the lack of customers. Few would buy from an Al Bhed store and fewer still would come to Bikanel to find one. Leaving Home and establishing a shop elsewhere was out of the question. Racists had always been a problem, but were even more so then. Unprovoked attacks on Al Bhed merchants and travelers had led to the almost complete isolation of the race; no one would risk leaving Home without a sizable group of friends.

So Rin kept most of his ideas to himself; writing them down in various journals and fleshing them out whenever he had free time. It wasn't until he was in his late teens that he really began to consider leaving Home. He was a poor warrior (he wasn't very good with weapons) and knew just enough about machina and mechanics to get by. His real talent lay in his ability to spot business prospects and undertake them successfully. He recognized this, and took it upon himself to find a way to put his talent to good use.

Rin decided it was time to confront Leader and pleaded with the man to let him take a crew of men and build a store; something to help bring money to the Al Bhed people. Leader had refused, telling Rin he was too young to even consider running a business. Besides, the man had added, secure in his own wisdom, such an undertaking was suicide. The shop would be burned and Rin and his employees killed: "_Yc__ muhk yc Spira nasyehc ihlrykat, cu femm dra lolma luhdehia._"

The young Al Bhed had never accepted this. Rin was of the opinion that the cycle could be broken; that his race would not have to live in fear of the outside world. So Rin left three years later, just a few weeks after he had turned twenty. It took him a while, but he was eventually able to gain the trust of a small band of Al Bhed. Together, they began the overwhelming task of building the first Travel Agency.

The idea for such an establishment had come to Rin while he was traveling Spira. For the most part, there were few places to rest. Those that were already in use usually did not welcome stray Al Bhed. Because of this, Rin had decided to build a haven for _all_ weary travelers, regardless of race, creed, or what have you. His idea had been greatly welcomed amongst his Al Bhed brethren, and even some open-minded followers of Yevon. Rin had asked among them which route was in most need of a place to rest and the replies were nearly unanimous: The Thunder Plains.

Building the Travel Agency was made no easier by the chosen location. The eternal lightning storms set back construction so much that most of Rin's workers became disheartened. He persevered, and seventeen months after he had left Home, the first Travel Agency opened its doors.

Rin wasted no time. He traveled Spira, leaving behind him sturdy and welcoming havens for travelers. His funds came from wealthy merchants that would greatly welcome the Agencies, and his employees and workers, when once he had to seek them out, came to him. He worked tirelessly for five years, building his small empire. Word spread until Al Bhed were coming to him directly from Home, searching for work. Rin never turned any of them down. In Mi'ihen he had them raise chocobos; in Macalania they repaired hovers. But it was when the Calm ended that his Agencies were really appreciated.

Pilgrimaging summoners could rest with a roof over their heads or replenish their supply of potions. The presence of the Al Bhed was reluctantly accepted, and the race slowly began to emerge from its isolation. Rin had accomplished what he had set out to, and for a while, that was enough.

"Rin!" the cry of greeting broke him from his thoughts. It was Gippal, bounding up to the newly-arrived hover. "Sorry you had to come all the way out here like this, but I really couldn't get away."

Rin nodded, stepping down into the sun-baked sand. "You were sketchy on the CommSphere," he said, squinting against the sun. "What exactly is it that has so fixated your attention?"

Gippal clasped a hand around the older man's shoulder, steering him over to where a small group of diggers had gathered, shouting excitedly. "It's a machina," Gippal told him. "We're not sure what it is yet but it looks like a generator of some sort. I think it might be a part of something bigger; an airship maybe," his excitement was infectious, and Rin found himself eagerly searching for a glance of the machina as they approached the dig site.

The outer shell of what did appear to be a generator bulged out of the sand. Workers squat on all sides of it, bucketing sand out of the way. "A wind storm unearthed it," Gippal explained, reaching under a tent for a water bottle. He took a swig before offering it to Rin, who accepted it with thanks.

"I can see why you wouldn't want to leave it," the merchant said, gesturing toward the sharp glint of metal. "How old do you think it is?"

Gippal couldn't stop grinning. "We can't tell yet, but it's at least a couple hundred." He wiped the accumulating sweat from his brow and Rin did the same, feeling the smear of coarse sand across his damp skin.

"But just think, Rin," Gippal said, his eyes bright, even in the blinding sun. "If this thing is as old as I think it is—Vegnagun old—then it's from before Sin. We've come a long way with machina, Rin, but we could never compare to the precision with which it was made that long ago. Even if this thing is only 500 years old, that's still a damn good model to go by."

"Amazing, Gippal! You really think your generator could be that old?" Rin shook his head is partial disbelief. "Has anything dated before Sin ever been found?"

"Sure," Gippal replied. "Cid picked up that airship a few years ago. We built the Gullwings' 'ship using that one as a model."

"I didn't know Cid's airship was that old. It worked perfectly; as if it was brand new."

"It wouldn't have without all the tweaking we had to do. We'll have to do the same for this thing," he gestured toward the generator, "if we ever get it outta that damn sand."

"Ahh…So your generator's so valuable because you can use it as a blueprint?"

"Yep," Gippal clapped a hand against Rin's back. "That's about the gist of it, Rin, old friend. Now," he led Rin under the tent, directing him at a fold-out chair, "what did you come all the way out here to talk to me about?"

Rin sat, brushing sand from his lap and shoulders. "I need a bit of help with something."

Gippal's smile widened, "What are you planning?"

Rin returned his smile. "I'm undertaking a new project; one that's likely to draw the scorn of Yevon's supporters. I've cleared things with Baralai, but, as I'm sure you know, he can't speak for his people in all matters," Rin paused to give Gippal time to contemplate this.

"Hell, I don't hear anything I don't like so far; keep going."

Rin obliged. "I'm going to need men, Gippal; workers. And probably quite a few warriors if you can manage it. If you can speak with Nooj and Baralai about restless Youth League and New Yevon members; tell them I'll hire them to fight off a few fiends."

Gippal was interested; he wore a calculating look and his lips moved in silent pondering. Rin waited until his friend turned back to him, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Sure; that doesn't sound too hard. Just…indulge me… You're not a fighter, Rin, but you can handle yourself. Where are you going that you would need to hire warriors?"

Rin flashed his trademark grin and leaned forward in the creaking chair, before saying in a calm, insouciant voice, "The Farplane."

[Al Bhed Translation: "_Yc__ muhk yc Spira nasyehc ihlrykat, cu femm dra lolma luhdehia._" –

"As long as Spira remains unchanged, so will the cycle continue."


End file.
